By Pratyush
It was never in doubt that North Korea’s nuclear test on February 12 would raise hackles in East Asia. The rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula since Pyongyang launched a rocket in December, along with its alleged progress towards miniaturizing the nuclear device it was testing, have elicited widespread condemnation from South Korea, Japan and the United States. Even China, North Korea’s closest ally, expressed its “resolute” opposition and “strong dissatisfaction” following the test.
Hours after the North Korean test, the United Nations Security Council issued a strong statement condemning the test and promised to push through a new resolution with stronger sanctions.
However, perhaps the most noteworthy statement against the launch came from India, a country that does not tend to respond quickly to developments beyond South Asia.
Despite its “Look East” policy and burgeoning bilateral partnerships with South Korea and Japan, India has a limited direct stake and leverage over developments on the Korean peninsula. Further, it is not a member of the six-party talks aimed at finding a peaceful solution for North Korea’s nuclear program.
Calling Pyongyang’s latest act of defiance “a matter of deep concern”, India urged North Korea “to refrain from such actions which adversely impact on peace and stability in the region.”
Beyond concerns over North Korea’s consolidation of its de-facto nuclear status, New Delhi’s “deep concern” had a South Asian subtext; namely, the allegedly close nexus between the nuclear and scientific establishments in Pakistan and North Korea. Many believe that the ties between Pakistan and North Korea have contributed to Pyongyang’s progress towards developing nuclear weapons.
Read the full story at The Diplomat